Why John the Baptist Could NOT Drink Beer By Dr. Taylor Marshall Today (August 29) commemorates the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. But today I’d like to take a look at why this great martyr and forerunner of Christ could not drink a brewski. When I was studying the Synoptic Gospels, I became particularly interested in the “aramaisms†(Aramaic phrases transliterated in Greek) found in the Gospels. I came across this interesting Aramaic word in Luke: “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink [σικεÏα]; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.†(Luke 1:15) In Aramaic sikera or ×©×›×¨× means “beer†and it derives from the Akkadian shikaru meaning fermented barley water, i.e. beer. I have done a lot of homebrewing and so I know what happens when water with mashed barley malt ferments. You get beer! Could John the Baptist Drink a Pabst Blue Ribbon? Pabst Blue Ribbon is hardly beer. Nevertheless, it was forbidden to John the Baptist. This means that Saint John the Baptist never enjoyed a glass of wine or even a beer. A small price to pay for being the greatest man “born of women†(Luke 7:28). So if you start up a micro-brewery, don’t name it after this holy prophet – he had little experience in the craft or pleasure of beer. St. John the Baptist, pray for us
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:47:56 +0000
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